Electronic device, electronic device control method, and storage meduim

1. An electronic device, comprising: a determining section configured to determine whether a user is walking or using a traveling means other than walking; a step counting section configured to count a number of steps taken by the user in a case where (i) an amplitude of change in acceleration value supplied from an acceleration sensor is not smaller than a given value and (ii) a period of the change in acceleration value falls within a given range, the step counting section switching the given range between acceleration value change period ranges for counting the number of steps, depending on whether the determining section determines that the user is walking or that the user is using a traveling means other than walking; a recording section configured to record the period of the change in acceleration value; a first range and a second range being different in extent from each other, the first range being one of the acceleration value change period ranges for counting the number of steps, which one is used to count the number of steps in a case where it is determined that the user is walking, the second range being the other one of the acceleration value change period ranges for counting the number of steps, which other one is used to count the number of steps in a case where it is determined that the user is using a traveling means other than walking, in a case where the determining section determines that the user is using a traveling means other than walking, the step counting section (a) comparing, with a given fluctuation range, a fluctuation of the period of change in acceleration value at a current time point, which period at the current time point falls within the second range, the given fluctuation range being set, for counting the number of steps, to a range associated with the traveling means of the user and (b) comparing, with the given fluctuation range, a fluctuation of the period of change in acceleration value at a past time point, which period at the past time point is recorded in the recording section and falls within the second range, in a case where (i) the period of change in acceleration value at the past time point fluctuated beyond the given fluctuation range, and (ii) the fluctuation of the period of change in acceleration value at the current time point falls both (a) within the given fluctuation range and (b) within 200 msec above or below an average of periods of change in acceleration value observed for the current traveling means, the step counting section counting the number of steps at the current time point.

2. The electronic device as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising: a change detecting section configured to detect change in traveling means, in a case where the determining section determines that the user is using a traveling means other than walking, the change detecting section (a) comparing, with the given fluctuation range, the fluctuation of the period of change in acceleration value at the current time point, which period at the current time point falls within the second range, and (b) comparing, with the given fluctuation range, the fluctuation of the period of change in acceleration value at the past time point, which period at the past time point is recorded in the recording section and falls within the second range, in a case where (i) the period of change in acceleration value at the past time point fluctuated beyond the given fluctuation range and (ii) the fluctuation of the period of change in acceleration at the current time point falls both (a) within the given fluctuation range and (b) within 200 msec above or below the average of periods of change in acceleration value observed for the current traveling means, the change detecting section determining that, during a period from the past time point to the current time point, the user shifted from traveling by a traveling means other than walking to traveling by walking.

3. The electronic device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein: the determining section determines whether the user is traveling by walking, traveling by using a vehicle, or not traveling, based on (i) change in acceleration value supplied from the acceleration sensor and (ii) a fluctuation pattern of the acceleration value.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a control program for causing a computer to function as an electronic device as set forth in claim 1 , the control program causing the computer to function as each of the determining section and the step counting section.

5. A method of controlling an electronic device, comprising the steps of: (a) determining whether a user is walking or using a traveling means other than walking; (b) counting the number of steps taken by the user in a case where (i) an amplitude of change in acceleration value supplied from an acceleration sensor is not smaller than a given value and (ii) a period of the change in acceleration value falls within a given range, in the step (b), the given range being switched between acceleration value change period ranges for counting the number of steps, depending on whether it is determined in the step (a) that the user is walking or that the user is using a traveling means other than walking, a first range and a second range being different in extent from each other, the first range being one of the acceleration value change period ranges for counting the number of steps, which one is used to count the number of steps in a case where it is determined that the user is walking, the second range being the other one of the acceleration value change period ranges for counting the number of steps, which other one is used to count the number of steps in a case where it is determined that the user is using a traveling means other than walking; and (c) recording the period of the change in acceleration value, in a case where it is determined that the user is using a traveling means other than walking, in the step (b), (I) comparing, with a given fluctuation range a fluctuation of the period of change in acceleration value at a current time point, which period at the current time point falls within the second range, the given fluctuation range being set, for counting the number of steps, to a range associated with the traveling means of the user, and (II) comparing, with the given fluctuation range, a fluctuation of the period of change in acceleration value at a past time point, which period at the past time point is recorded and falls within the second range, in a case where (i) the period of change in acceleration value at the past time point fluctuated beyond the given fluctuation range and (ii) the fluctuation of the period of change in acceleration value at the current time point falls both (a) within the given fluctuation range and (b) within 200 msec above or below an average of periods of change in acceleration value observed for the current traveling means to 200 msec below the average of the given fluctuation period of change in acceleration value, counting the number of steps at the current time point.